Unrequited Love
by digital.fragrance
Summary: [complete] B&V He will come to terms with his feelings or it will destroy him. Her heart will change from one to another. What does fate have in store? Will love conquer all?
1. A Day at the Beach

Unrequited Love

(DBZ, Bulma/Vegeta fanfic)

The ocean breeze gently caressed the seashore as the sea gulls moseyed in flight. The sun shone brightly in the sapphire sky. The weather was perfect – so peaceful and quiet.

"Ahhhh… what a perfect day for a little R & R!" Bulma Briefs gazed at the expanse of the ocean. "I've needed a day off work for so long! If it's not Capsule Corp, its Vegeta always needing food and always breaking that dang gravity machine… just a simple thanks would—"

_Thud!_

"Hey, Bulma! Come play volleyball with me!" The spunky black-haired woman laughed and picked up the ball. "Or else I'll hit you with it again! You know my aim is deadly – heck, I practice it enough trying to keep Goku away from my food!" Chi-chi ran back towards the beach court.

_So much for rest… then again, we can't afford to 'rest' anyway. We have less than 3 years until the androids appear…_Bulma was frustrated. Her life had been full of stress at work and at home, and there was always that looming attack on the horizon. "Chi-chi, do you ever get tired of saving the world? Sometimes I just wish I could just let go and not have a care in the world."

"Ha, are you kidding – of course! When you have two Saiyan boys at home constantly talking about the android fight, chatting about ki levels, and eating enough food to feed an army… it's unavoidable. But hey, this is why I brought you here. We both need something to take our minds off of 'business as usual.' Let's have some fun – wanna go shopping after we play a round of volleyball?" She smiled as she tossed the ball to Bulma. "Your ball!"

"Sure – sounds like loads of fun!" Bulma cracked a genuine smile for the first time in a month. "Okay, here it goes!" And the volleyball soared into the air.

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The medicine ball came down into his hands with a thud. Sweat poured off the Saiyan prince's body as he finished the last of his 8 hour training run in the gravity room. With all of his remaining energy, Vegeta powered up to his highest level. Of course, it was higher than yesterday's, and predictably, it gave him a boost in his ego. (A/N: like he needed that in the first place) It wasn't long before he heard that all too common catch in the gravity engine, signaling that the place was going to crumble at any moment. He calmly grabbed his towel, swung it over his shoulder with an arrogant flair, and walked out the door as the gravity room crumbled behind him. "WOMAN! Your machine broke AGAIN!" he screamed out into the air. _Hmm, no response – that's odd._ _Well, she better be in the kitchen with some food._ His thoughts wandered to his next delicious meal.

He wandered into Capsule Corp's main building and heard some odd noises. He turned the corner and saw the back of a couch… with a high-heeled foot sticking up in the air… and giggles… and of course, Yamcha. _Holy crap, if only the woman knew how unfaithful he was…stupid human emotions._ He seriously considered marching into the room and announcing that he caught him in the act. _Ah well, it's not like I care anyway_.

He walked toward the kitchen and was displeased to find no woman and no food. _How dare they treat the Saiyan prince like this!_ He finally resigned to making his own "sandwich" if it could be called that – a whole salmon on top of a loaf of rye bread and pickles to boot. As he sat down to enjoy his meal, he couldn't get that knotted feeling out of his stomach. _Maybe I should tell the woman about Yamcha…she seems to try so hard to please him. No – I better to sit back and watch, unless this gets out of hand. This is going to be some good entertainment…_ A smirk came over his face at the thought of Yamcha claiming to "love" only Bulma. Oh how interesting it was to watch humans court each other.

He suddenly felt a familiar ki presence…_The woman is finally here… AHAHA Yamcha is still in the back room…I wonder how he'll cover this one up._ His Saiyan ears picked up a faint whish sound and the click of a door. Yamcha had successfully shoved his temporary lover out the door… again.

"Miss me you Royalness?" A sarcastic smile lit Bulma's face. "I'm surprised you haven't starved to death by now – oh you actually fixed yourself something to eat instead of waiting for one of us 'servants' to do it for you. Awww… I think he's growing up!" Another verbal sparring match was beginning to erupt…

"And you still have that secret collection of Teletubbies in your dresser drawer. Hmph! I would have thought that you would have grown up first!" Vegeta kicked his feet up on top of the table with a triumphant smirk. He had been waiting to bring that trump card up for a long time.

"WHAT! HOW DID YOU KNOW THAT—! I COULD HAVE SWORN—"

"I have ways. Your petty brain can't understand them."

"WHY I OUGHTA….!

"Hey, hey kiddies chill out here!" Yamcha stepped into the room. _Well he certainly cleaned himself up_, mused Vegeta.

"I wanna know why Mr. Royal Butt got into my dresser drawer! That's trespassing you idiot!"

"Oh, I'm SO sorry – I was merely returning the favor, wasn't I, woman?"

The argument stalled as Bulma's face blushed crimson. She couldn't recover from that one – he was right. She had been snooping around in his room… Vegeta's senses were too sharp for her to get away with it.

"Well… I… you… ARGH! YOU SHUT UP!" and with that, the blue haired woman just glared and stormed off. A look of satisfaction came over Vegeta's face as he watched her defeated figure retreat. _Ahhhh… yet another verbal sparring victory! This is the best way to end a day of intense training._

His thoughts were interrupted when that annoying voice chimed in – "You really ought to treat Bulma with more respect and—" A murderous gaze cut off Yamcha's rebuke. A look of terror swept over Yamcha's features as he slowly edged out of the room. "I… I… never mind!" and he bolted after Bulma.

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_Why is he so mean?_ She hopelessly paced in her room. _Ugh! Why do I have to put up with such a royal pain?_ _He's always causing trouble… but then again, it is fun to argue with him. He won't get the best of me next time!_ A faint smell wafted through Bulma's bedroom window. _Oh no… oh no… not again…_she was afraid to look out the window. That all too familiar scent only meant one thing. She drifted toward the open window to discover with much chagrin that half the gravity room completely demolished. _Oh I swear! That man is in for it!_ _I always fix that room just so he can train some more. I should just leave the planet for a few months and see how he likes it – no food and no gravity room – Ha! That would serve him royally, I'll say!_

Slowly, a grim realization dawned on her. _I couldn't do that… he'd die if I didn't. Not like that would kill me or anything – part of Earth's destiny depends on how strong he gets. I hate getting trapped in situations like this – I want to make my own decisions! _To Bulma, her situation was only getting more stressful by the minute. _And I can't even get back at him._

Yamcha slowly poked his head into the bedroom doorway and scoped out the situation. After assessing the scene, he decided okay to comfort Bulma without getting yelled at. He quickly wrapped his arms around her.

"Oh Bulma, it's okay – he's just not a happy person." He led his pouting girl to the window seat. "You'll be fine–"

"I'll be fine!" Bulma hotly interrupted. "I can't even take revenge on him. Heck, all I'm good for is repairs and a good meal." At this, a stray tear ran down her cheek at dropped onto Yamcha's leg.

"There, there," Yamcha patted her back. "You're good for more—" Yamcha's testosterone interrupted him this time. He gazed at a pretty woman walking outside and started to drool. Before he knew it, he was shoved out the front of Capsule Corp with the door slammed hotly in his face. He shrugged walked away.

_Oh, the nerve of him! He blatantly looks at other girls…_Bulma blew past Vegeta in the kitchen and ran upstairs to let out her feelings. _I have to cry._ And she did… hard. Yamcha had been hurting her, and she was becoming weary of it.

Eventually she calmed herself down, and she cleaned herself up and dressed in one of the new outfits she had got with Chi-Chi during their mall extravaganza. The blue colors complemented her hair and eyes. _Well, at least I still look beautiful. Now for some of that comforting ice cream!_

(A/N: More is coming, but I'd like to know what you think of the first chapter before I post anymore)


	2. Vegeta Reads the Newspaper

"Baka. These humans are so fickle," mumbled Vegeta as he watched one of the local soap operas. "This crap is just annoying." He turned it off, embarrassed that he had even entertained the thought of that show for 30 seconds. "Living here is making me soft."

He grabbed the newspaper off the end table and thumbed to the foreign politics section. It opened his mind to a new version of politics - parlay diplomacy instead of the usual Saiyan damage, demolish, and destroy method. _Psssh. sounds like the Western powers can't accomplish anything - they are too biased against each other. Who cares if wire-tapping is legal; it seems to be protecting people. It's a matter of national security. Heck, I'd do it. if I ever became. _Thoughts of his destroyed home planet of Vejitasei flooded back to him. His anger skyrocketed, but he kept it under control. If anything, the guilt of neglecting to save his people fueled his passion to be the best. He never showed his emotion over the loss of his planet - except for his anger. In his fury, he caught himself and threw the newspaper down in disgust. _ Why am I reading these sissy human politics? I'll never read this pointless trash again._ He swore to never touch it again, but he knew that he would end up reading more tomorrow.

He heard the soft sound of the woman's footsteps echo through the hallway. He looked out of the corner of his eye and saw her busily licking her spoon of some delicious ice cream. She made her way to the sofa and swiftly sat down to watch her favorite soap opera - the one Vegeta had just turned off in revulsion.

"Oh woman, turn that off - it's a load of human trash."

"Well, then if you don't want to watch it, you can leave."

Vegeta looked at her and decided that it wouldn't be wise to anger her now. He rolled his eyes and sighed loudly. "Whatever," he whispered and laboriously got up off his chair and left the room.

"Oh! And pick up your newspaper off the floor."

"Make me." He jeered over his shoulder as he neared the doorway. "I've already followed one request of yours, woman, and don't push your luck." A few feet down the hallway he stopped and turned around to inform the woman of the half-destroyed gravity room in the off chance she hadn't figured it out already. He paused in the doorframe and saw that she seemed entrenched into her TV show.

But then, something happened that totally evaded Vegeta's defenses. She smiled, and to him, it looked like the sun had just broken through a storm. Her eyes sparkled like sapphires and her hair swished playful around her neck and cheeks. _What the… she… what?_ He caught himself staring rather incredulously at her. He had never seen this side of the woman, but like a passing breeze, it was gone in an instant. He turned and walked away - bewildered. The gravity room totally slipped from his mind.

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_Wow, he actually did something I told him to do! He even admitted to it. _That big smile broke open Bulma's floodgates of joy, but only for a fleeting moment. She turned her head to see Vegeta slowly walk away. _Huh, that's weird… was he staring at me…Oh well, that's Vegeta - he is weird. Wait a minute - was he really watching me? Does he…no! No way. He can't feel that kind of emotion- he's heartless! Anyway, even if he did, I have Yamcha. _

_Wait. Yamcha! What good does he do me? He just gave a complete stranger the up-down with me in his arms! He's a jerk; why do I stay with him? He says he loves me… and that look in his eyes is to die for. But… he… ACK! Why am I thinking like this!_ She slurped up a clump of sinfully sweet chocolate ice cream as she mulled this over. _Well, only time will tell. _

She got up and turned off the T.V. and pushed the radio button. Utada Hikaru's "Time" blared on as she decided to clean up Vegeta's dinnertime mess.

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Vegeta turned on the burning hot shower. Even he couldn't stand being sweaty after hard-core training. The steaming hot water poured over his muscular physique - he welcomed it. It matched his passionate attitude. He was the embodiment of desire and motivation - he tackled his passions with an unrequited vengeance. The only thing that could possibly stall his determination was confusion - his current ailment. He closed his eyes and allowed the water to envelop him. _What is this feeling? Have I gone mad! I can't explain this - it's confusing me. Nothing should confuse me - I am the Prince of Saiyans! My life is simple - to fight and be the best in the universe. But something inside me is conflicting with that desire. I must banish it from my mind!_ He breathed deeply and forced his body to relax. As the water massaged his shoulders, he cleared his mind and focused on nothing else but to simply breathe. The heat calmed him down, and each muscle completely relaxed. _Ah, much better!_ He squeaked the nozzle into the 'off' position and gingerly stepped out of the shower. He didn't want to slip and fall like he did a few days ago… no one knew about that, and he intended to keep it that way.

He walked into his bedroom and slipped into some cotton sweats. Padding over to his bed, he noticed a neatly folded training uniform on his pillow. "Huh? What's this?" He picked it up, and it unfolded to reveal itself as one of his old uniforms – totally repaired and looking like new. He brought it to his nose and sunk his face into the clean, soft fabric. _The woman did this. _"Hmph," he shrugged and put it away.

As he sprawled out on his bed, he heard the far-off swish of Capsule Corp's front door and soon felt Yamcha's familiar ki level. _Does he ever give up?_ He snorted. _ He plays the field a bit to selfishly… he's…ruthless._ _ Even Saiyans had more honor that he does. We mated with one person for life… not multiple females. He's taking advantage of the blue haired woman. For the sake of honor, I have to bring him down – it's not fit of an honorable prince to look on passively. _Vegeta wasn't dumb – he knew he had to pick and choose the moment to prove to the woman all the infidelity of her so-called 'lover.' A smirk christened his face… something inside him wanted to defeat Yamcha for good. Why? Vegeta didn't know. _He must lose._


	3. Soul Searching

Bulma wiped up one of the last crumbs on the table. "Now, that's what a good person's kitchen should look like!" She smiled at the squeaky clean counter tops. "At least it will be clean until tomorrow." She laid down her sponge and stretched. "Ahhhh," she yawned, "time for some real R & R – sleep. It's been a busy day, and I have to be up really early tomorrow morning." She glanced at the clock. "8:30 – good. Just enough time to take a shower and get in bed." She moved toward the stairs as she heard the whoosh of the front door.

Yamcha stumbled inside with a quirky smile on his face. Upon seeing Bulma, it disappeared and was replaced with his famous 'puppy eyes.' "Aw… Bulma… I'm sooooo sorry!"

"Oh Yamcha, shut up!" Bulma looked away, but she had never successfully resisted 'the face;' she absolutely had to this time. She turned and walked up the stairs, trying to gather enough determination to remain angry at him. Yamcha quickly followed, snatching a rose from the nearby vase.

"Bulma, take this… you know that I care about you." Yamcha moved to kiss her lips, but Bulma quickly turned aside… the kiss landed on her cheek instead. A puzzled look washed over his face. Usually, this routine worked like a charm every time; he must have really messed up this time. "Think it over, love. Goodnight." Yamcha was surprised to see his blue-haired bunny stay stone cold. He shrugged and left for home – and rather quickly… he had spotted another pretty girl on the street.

"The scum… but… he tries to be so sweet…" Her eyebrows knitted up in confusion. She wasn't stupid. She turned and forcefully stuck the flower in it's previous position in the vase and haughtily turned to walk back up the stairs. She watched him walk outside from her bedroom window, and her lower lip began to tremble. The stress in her life had been building to a climax. It was hard to handle all of her mixed feelings herself. Normally, she would have Yamcha, but lately, he'd been weird and distant. He was making her miserable. She turned away from the window and glanced at the doorway – a fleeting shadow swiftly disappeared. _Was that Vegeta? Did he see me cry!_ She slammed the door shut and threw herself onto her massive bed as sobs rocked her body. She was angry at the world… and angry at herself. She never had her rest and relaxation – she cried herself to sleep.

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Days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into months. "Five months ago, I ruined the gravity room again… it's about time it was fixed." Vegeta prepared himself for his next workout. He would be the best, the strongest. _I must be better than Kakarott._ He glanced at his watch. _8 o'clock sharp – perfect. Ah ha! It's Tuesday. I better enter Capsule Corp from the front entrance today._ Tuesday was Yamcha's "day" with his "favorite" girl… the girl changed weekly… sometimes daily. "Hmph. It would be a perfect day to show the woman his infidelity." He smirked at the horror that would be on Yamcha's face. "She's not ready yet – it would break her."

He turned the room onto 250 times normal gravity and began his routine. He started with his meditation and stretching, followed by his warm up. He performed his combination kicks with speed and accuracy; his footwork was improving drastically. He did his ply metrics with ease – his strength increase with every sit-up and push up. Vegeta began to wrap up his first training segment with standard evasive maneuvers.

He pushed himself until his body broke. He did this everyday to become stronger, to become the best. He neared the end of his training and paused to test his limits. He powered up; the tiles on the floor began to rise. However, suddenly it was like his face smacked a brick wall. Sure, he was stronger than the last time he trained, but he couldn't push himself any harder. He wasn't going to the next level – he couldn't reach the level of Super Saiyan no matter how hard he tried. That same confusion was clouding his mind – again – it had been bothering him for over five months. He halted his efforts and slammed the off button on the gravity machine, utterly exhausted and bewildered. "What's wrong with me!" He screamed at the wall. No matter how hard his tried to focus, a picture kept forming in his mind… the image of the woman with tears running down her beautiful face. _Why am I… ! She's… intoxicating. I must… _He stumbled out of the door, drunk and mad with his own confusion. He had to let go – to open up – to come to terms with what was going on inside of him. He took off into the endless blue sky, higher and higher until he pushed the limits of his lungs with barely breathable air. He hovered there for a moment that seemed to last for an eternity.

As he gazed at the sea of stars, many of which he had visited, and the sun of his former planet Vejitasei, every aspect of his being became excruciatingly clear. He used to be the rogue… the loner… the one that could do it all himself. But he changed, or rather found his 'missing piece.' He had to embrace this mindset or it would destroy him. It was her – the sapphire angel that was ever present in his dreams.

His torment had to be released; to face his fears would turn this haunting into satisfying destiny. Vegeta clenched his fists in determination and forced his burning lungs to expel a scream of released agony. He felt energy like never before gather inside him –his pulse skyrocketed. He let go. His feelings poured out in agonizing passion. _I love her._ His hair transformed into radiant gold. He had ascended.

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_Finally… back home after a grueling business conference._ Bulma aimlessly gazed out at the tarmac as the 747 taxied into its position at the gate. She checked her purse. "Good I have my luggage!" She pulled out her small capsule, and smiled with satisfaction. "Ah, the perks of being the Capsule Corp CEO – I don't have any heavy baggage to carry, and it all fits in my purse!" She eagerly awaited permission to disembark from the jet and make her way home, but to her dismay, the crew had something else in mind.

A flight attendant's quivering voice cracked over the intercom. "Passengers, we request that you remain in your seat with your seat belts fastened. Please comply swiftly and without resistance. Do not panic…"

A muffled thump was heard and a male's voice with a Russian accent began to bark instructions. "Svease, svease, vremian calm. If your president complies vith our demands, voo have nofing to vorry about." A general shriek ran through the cabin as many women fainted and children cried. Bulma's eyes bulged and her skin turned pale. She sat down expressionless. It all made sense – she had taken an American flight home to Japan… _This isn't happening to me… no!_ "I… I… oh no… what do I do!" She looked around at all the scared passengers. Time slowed down. All she could hear was her own heart beat. Her senses numbed. _Terrorists have taken over the plane… The U.S. doesn't negotiate with terrorists, and they are half way around the world! _

She was aware enough to notice one of the masked men make his way slowly down the aisle. He carried a powerful machine gun and was striking anyone who made any noise. He came closer… and closer… close enough that she could have reached out and touched him. He stopped next to her – everything in her body shut down. She squeezed her eyes shut and bit her tongue. _If I make any noise, he'll kill me! Oh Kami help me!_ Nothing happened. She peaked out to see where he had gone to – he was a few rows up.

Her breathing was hard to control… Bulma focused on not panicking. Someone would surely save them… they had to! She glanced over at the woman across the aisle and gave her a reassuring look, but something was wrong. The other lady was getting red in the face and tears became to form in her eyes. _She's gonna break down!_ Bulma frantically shook her head from side to side and mouthed "No!" _If she screams… she's down for!_ More tears streaked down her face… she groaned. She clutched her pillow and let it out – she screamed. It was the most terrifying scream Bulma had heard in her life.

The masked man turned decisively and stood in front of the screaming woman. "SHUT THE UP!" No response but screaming… "I'll kill you!" The poor lady wailed – her emotional stability was at an all-time low. The masked man waved his gun in the air and bellowed his very foreign voice. "All of voo – vatch carevully. This is vhat happens vhen voo disobey and disgrace our name. This is an example voo will never vorget." Bulma stared in horror – tears streamed down her face. Her lower lip trembled. _She's gonna die!_ And he pulled the trigger.


	4. Life and Death

_That's odd. She should have been back by now._ _Yamcha wouldn't know a thing – he's too 'busy' with that girl in the back room. Scum. _Vegeta wandered into the living room. _Guess I'll read the newspaper_. He began reading that same foreign policy section and noticed that the terror threat in the U.S. was raised another notch. _Hmm… that's interesting_. He read down the page, but he couldn't concentrate. Something was terribly wrong… the telephone caught his eye. _Should I call her? No, then she would wonder about me…_

Ten more minutes passed and still no call from the woman. _She usually calls the secretary if she's running late…_He charged into the office demanding to know where she was. They didn't know. _Great. Just when I decided to face my fears of feeling compassion._ "That's it – I'm calling her."

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The lady lay motionless in her chair, blood dripping everywhere. The man smiled maliciously. "Ah, that's vetter – peace and quiet!"

Beep beep beeeep Beep beep beeeep _Oh my gosh… my phone rings now… of all times to ring!_ The masked man turned from his dead victim to face Bulma.

"Is that your vone?" He demanded while tapping his boot impatiently.

"Y… yes s-sir."

"Answer it now! Do as I say!" He pointed his gun to her head. "Do not mention us or you die!"

Bulma quickly snatched her RAZR phone – her life depended on it. "H…h-hello?"

"Where are you woman!" A very ticked Saiyan shouted on the other line.

Bulma nervously glanced out the window then back at the hostel standing on her left. There was a lot of media and security out on the tarmac. _Vegeta's calling me? He's the ticket to my salvation… if he cares. _"Um… I'm fine… j-just running a few minutes l-late."

"Have trouble speaking to a prince?" He laughed on the other line. "No one knows where you are – your secretary expected a call."

_Having trouble talking to a prince! Yeah right… but now is not the time to bicker. _Bulma knew if she said anything about the hijackers, she would be a lump of lifeless flesh in the blink of an eye. _How do I tell him about this? Wait… the media…which means the news… which means – AHA!_ "Vegeta… I'm sorry the TV hasn't been working. I'm sure the repairman has fixed it now – you won't miss your favorite show."

"What are you –"

"No… I'm sure…" Bulma interrupted. The masked man was getting impatient. "It should work this time – turn on the TV – your show is on channel four." A man in the back of the cabin fired a few shots at another victim and barked something in Russian.

"What the heck – what was that? A gun! Woman what is going on!"

Bulma glanced at her masked menace. Time to hang up. "Just try it okay – right now!"

The Russian terrorist grabbed the phone and stomped on it. The broken parts mixed eerily with the newly spilt blood on the floor. Tension was rising… more people were dying. Time was running out.

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"What the…" Vegeta recalled the shots and shouting in the background of his conversation. IN an instant it all clicked. The raised terror level, the Russian voices, and gun shots all made sense. He turned on the TV with a vengeance. There it was – her jet… under terrorist influence. The camera from the tarmac zoomed in on the cabin windows.

"NO!" he screamed. He saw her – with a gun pointed to her head.

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"Oh Kami… help me!" Bulma closed her eyes and tried to zone everything out. The cold touch of the gun barrel at her temple disappeared – the man had since gone o the front of the cabin. They were talking earnestly amongst themselves… _What's this?_ Her terrorist shot an old man in the front row.

"Now ve vill shoot someone every 10 minutes unless your president complies!" They were progressing from the front to back of the cabin, choosing their victims. _Man, I could really use telepathy right now…_

Her life flashed before her eyes. Her memories... the happy and the sad flooded her mind. Yamcha was a painful one – her feelings for him had disappeared and willingly turned toward another over the course of the last 5 months. Now, she wasn't sure if she'd live to voice her feelings to him. "Only he can save me," she whispered.

She alone had seen Vegeta's turmoil. His pain, his memories – she read it in his eyes. She understood it and it pained her to see him struggle alone. But this didn't matter to her right now – she had to focus on living. _Help me… oh, please help me!_

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He flew through the air in a blind rage – the airport was in view. "I have to get into the cargo area of the plane… every jet has access to the cabin from the cargo area… that's the only way!"

"_Help me… oh, please help me!"_ a foreign line of thought entered his mind… it was her.

_I'm here… _he thought back to her.

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She was numb to all else. The terrorists were in the row in front of her. They coldly pulled the trigger… another casualty. She had 10 minutes left to live.

"_I'm here…"_ It was him… _Vegeta! Oh please, let me be right._

The man smirked at her. "Too vad ve have to shoot voo; you're pretty!" He laughed at his evil intentions.

"Please, let me have my moments in peace." The situation was looking grim and terribly hopeless. _Even if he is here, he can't beat a bullet._ _They'd shoot me first._

7 minutes left

She looked out the window and prayed for a miracle.

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Vegeta maneuvered himself undetected through the cargo opening. He moved so fast the news cameras didn't notice. _They don't even know I'm here._

6 minutes left

He crouched next to the luggage and army crawled to the lift/pulley system that would give him access to the cabin. _This should work…_he soon found himself hugging his knees in a very cramped space. The lift slowly pulled him up – enough time to think.

_She's everything… I have to save her. _He saw the opening come slowly into view. _If I do anything, it's going to be a quick and devastating attack. _He was all-too used to this with his past efforts with Freiza. _I suppose all of those sorties are good training for this situation._ The lift took him into the flight attendant area. _I will not lose her!_

3 minutes left

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The terrorists were jeering at her. Painful tears ran down her cheeks. The gun's cold barrel was pressing against her temple. Her knuckles turned white from her hand gripping the armrest.

2 minutes left

_I'm going to die._

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Author's Note: I love this part of the story! And I left you guys on a really big cliffhanger! What do you think? I'd love to hear your comments. Thanks! 


	5. Discovery

Vegeta quickly dispensed the two men standing hear him without a single sound. _Where is she?_ He glanced down the corridor – he was still unnoticed. _How many are there?_ He stopped and used his acute Saiyan hearing. _Kami… there's at least 3 up front… 3 in the back…_He strained his ears further and picked up another conversation... a man talking to his next victim.

"I'll kill you in 30 seconds," the man laughed maliciously.

_Am I too late!_

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"Please… stop… let me die in peace." Bulma mumbled. _I'm not going to beg for my life! _

"Ha ha ha! Torturing voo is the vun part. Oh – 20 seconds! Svay your prayers…"

She began to softly cry. It was all over – her life was ending in the worst way possible. Not even her prince could save her. This thought brought the picture of his face in front of her… those memories of him when she could see that unspoken pain in his eyes… and the hope that might have been love. A bang deafened her ears, and she saw a white light. _Is this the end?_ She plummeted into velvet darkness.

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"Fi…nal….. FLASH!" Vegeta screamed and threw the ki blast on the assailant. It was so powerful – it took out the remaining three in the front of the cabin. He turned and knelt before his woman. _Is she… no…she can't be dead._

_Her ki is still here._

Shots rang out from all directions. He threw his body in front of her and threw ki blasts with deadly accuracy. The walls didn't protect the shooters – Vegeta's blasts sliced through them like butter.

He had made quick work of the terrorists in the cabin. The noise had stopped. The evil men were dead.He looked around. _She is safe at last._ He checked her over with gentle concern on his face. _Figures that she only fainted. _"Pft, Humans."

The passengers cheered – they were saved! CTU (Counter Terrorist Unit) flooded in – but the mystery man had already vanished... and so was beautiful blue-haired woman.

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Her tired eyes slowly peeked open… _I'm in my room? I'm not dead! I'm safe! Vegeta…he did this. I have to thank him… somehow._ _What a man… even if he is distant and not so affectionate… I… kinda like that part of him. _She stiffly rose from her bed and slipped on her slippers. _It's_ _6:30 in the evening. I guess I could have dinner too._ She looked in the mirror – her hair was messed up, but frankly, she didn't care. She was emotionally exhausted, and she hoped that she would be able to survive the rest of the day without any alarming news.

She crept down the stairs; her shaky legs wobbled and threatened to trip her. Tears aimlessly ran down her face – she wasn't crying; she had nothing left to hold them back. She was still so stunned and emotionally destitute. She walked into the kitchen – there _he_ was. The Saiyan turned to face her and held her gaze for a moment that seemed like eternity. That look told her everything she ever wanted to know.

She struggled to speak; her tongue refused to cooperate. "Th..tha….thank… y…" She managed to voice half of her thoughts as she tripped over her own voice.

A grin tugged at the corner of his mouth. "Having trouble speaking to a prince?"

"Shut up."

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_Good… she's angry. Her face is so interesting when she's mad!_ Vegeta looked at her for a moment longer, but the grin disappeared. It hit him hard and fast – _Yamcha is still here… so caught up in his 'lover' that he is oblivious to his surroundings. I have to show her now – it will break her, but she needs to end it… or I will._

"Let me show you something." His grim countenance did forecast anything uplifting.

"What is it…? I'm not in the mood for more surprises today, whether it's good or bad." The woman searched his face for some happy news but found none.

He turned and gave her a troubled look. "I know, but you will see this. You _must_." He moved toward the doorway and paused until she followed. "Don't make a sound," he mouthed. She silently nodded with her curiosity perked.

_This isn't going to be pretty._ The two neared the doorway of the back room – muffled noises became clearer and more pronounced. He glanced back to check on his angel – her face was getting darker… _She's not dumb – she knows._ He stopped before the door and pointed. He lowered his head and closed his eyes… this was going to be tough. _At last, she will be treated as she deserves after he is gone._

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Bulma glanced at Vegeta whose body language gave it all away with no secrets to spare. She bit her lower lip and bravely flung the door wide open. The sight that greeted her words could not explain. Nevertheless, she threw Yamcha out of the house and sacked the whore a dozen times before she ran out herself.

"AND NEVER COME IN MY HOUSE AGAIN! WE ARE O-V-E-R!"

She ran out of the room into the hallway where Vegeta stood leaning against the wall. Tears gushed… her face was red, and not with anger. "W….w…why?" She managed to force the one syllable out of her lips. She tried to bolt for the stairs, but Vegeta caught her. He held her back, not wanting to let her go. She resisted with everything she had… and she really didn't know why. She wanted to get away, and get away now. _Why am I the one treated like this? _"Let me go! Please, let me go!"

"As you wish." He let her go, and she ran up to her room and slammed the door.

Her tears didn't last long… she sank into a depression. She had stopped thinking of Yamcha as her boyfriend, but she was hurt over the way he had used her. "Only I could lose someone like that… I must have done something wrong. I tried so hard until recently to please him… I never slept with him… I've never done that with anyone – he's just scum if he needed that so badly!"

She calmed down and picked up the dusty photo album filled with all of her memories. Yamcha was there, but so were other people. She laughed when she saw Goku standing on his head, or when Chi-Chi was hitting him on the head with that frying pan. "Good times!" Then the pages became more recent, finally, until a big group picture from the last annual party. Vegeta was in it… stoic of course. Her face flushed crimson… _At least I'm not heartbroken._ A playful smile graced her lips in the midst of her tear-strewn face. _Well, I have something to think about now! I love challenges!_ She cleaned herself up and put on one of her cutest outfits. _At least I'll look a little better…_

She walked downstairs and smelled something mouth watering in the air… _Mmmmm…what is that? It smells so good!_

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A/N: Well... the romantic part is coming right up! What did you think of this chapter? I really like this one... but wait until this next one that's coming soon! It's great... :) 


	6. More than Friends

_Earth is making me soft…_Vegeta pulled the soup out of the microwave and set it on the table. "Pretty good for a bad cook like me." _Why am I doing this… I'm beginning to think that I have no control over myself… It's embarrassing._ He laid a freshly cut rose next to the bowl of soup and went upstairs into his bedroom.

The muffled sobs of the woman had ceased, telling him that she would be going downstairs soon. Sure enough, she heard her door creak open and heard the soft sound of her footsteps down the stairs. He crouched by the door and waited…

_SQUEAL!_

_Yep, she saw it._ He had decided to try to make her feel better… rationalizing that she had to be in a good mood for him to stand living in the same house with her. However, he knew the real reason behind his surprise dinner – he wanted to win her. Little did he know, he had won her a long time ago. _She's something else._ He smirked and started to clean himself up. _I've still got more up my sleeve…_

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She picked up the rose and nuzzled her face in it. _It smells so good!_ Her heart skipped a beat, and she flushed crimson. "This is the best way to end this terrible day!" She sat down and began to eat the soup before her.

"Wow! I'm shocked – this is actually good!" She whispered to herself. _I hope he comes down here…The funny part is that this is totally unlike him – he must feel bad for me._ _Come to think of it – I never really thanked him._

A few minutes later, Bulma finished the soup and leaned back in satisfaction. _Guess I won't have to try so hard to get him to like me… _She stood up and placed the bowl in the sink and returned to the table. "What! Another…" A piece of chocolate cake was sitting on the table waiting for her. _My gosh…he's smart – he knows what chocolate does to me!_

She sat down and eagerly took the first bite and smiled. She enjoyed every moment of chewy goodness. She had half of it finished before she felt a presence in the room. A few seconds later, she felt two strong hands massaging her shoulders. A warm tingle traveled up and down her spine as she completely relaxed and look up into his eyes. He gave her a slight grin and sat down next to her. _This has to be the best 'date' ever. He cooks for me on one of my bad days…_

"Any good?" he anxiously asked her.

"Mmm hmm!" She said in between bites. "It's so good! Thank you." She chuckled as she wiped away the chocolate form her mouth

"It was easy," he dismissed her thanks. It was interesting to watch her eat this stuff.

"No really," she looked eyes with him. "Thank you – for _everything_."

Watch she saw next shocked her – he blushed slightly. He quickly recovered. "It was the honorable…" Well, he didn't exactly recover – he got lost in her eyes.

Awkward silence followed… neither was sure of what to do next. One was afraid that if she touched the other, he would resist, the other was just… well… lost. Bulma finished her cake and moved to clean up her dishes, but Vegeta had the same idea. They both reached for the plate and chaos ensued! They smacked heads and reeled away… then he tripped over the chair and ended up on top of her.

Bulma smiled up at him with pure happiness in her eyes – that same smile that he had seen about 5 months ago that took his breath away. His face moved closer to her, and he grinned – a genuine grin. It was the first time he had felt true happiness in 10 years.

He stroked her cheek bone and kissed her nose. Bulma giggled and smiled even bigger. "You're wonderful," she whispered in his ear. He bent down and gently pressed his lips against hers.

Centimeters away from each others' faces they gazed into one another. Whether or not they would ever admit it to each other, they loved each other. _She is my missing piece, _he thought. _He is my protector, _she mused. However different they were, they both shared this single thought, "_I've dreamed of this moment all my life._"

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A/N: Well guys, that's the end... I felt that if I dragged it on any longer, it would cease to become a really good fanfic. Anyway, special thanks to all of you guys - Pearl3, mariecool, custard-scroll-girl, debje, BVEXPERT and Gochi-Son, and Mionette. I realy appreciated the reviews and the time you took on reading my story. Anyway, thanks again! digital.fragrance 


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